Heart Stopping Football

Are you ready for some football? How about a heart attack?

If you’re a big football fan – the big game could be the big ONE. Researchers from the University of Southern California have documented that the emotional stress that sports fans experience when their team loses could actually lead to a fatal heart attack! They say the 1980 Los Angeles loss increased cardiac deaths in both men and women:

• For men, there was a 15 percent increase in all circulatory deaths associated with a Super Bowl loss.

• For women, there was a 27 percent increase.

And it got even worse with age. Older people suffered 22 percent more circulatory deaths linked to the 1980 loss.



Impress the Boss

If you’d like to impress your boss – these three things can help...

There’s nothing wrong with being on the boss' GOOD side – but just sucking up WON’T do the trick. A recent survey of U.S. managers found these three techniques to be pretty effective:

• Ask for some work related advice. It’s a form of flattery and a sign of respect.

• Don’t be a “yes” man or woman. Most bosses see right through that and would prefer some critical thinking or objective input.

• Talk about them behind their backs – and make it good. Sincerely praising a manager or higher up when they’re not around reinforces your loyalty – and might even get back to them.

What Do You See First?

What’s the first thing people notice when they meet face to face?

If you’re having a bad hair day - you might want to consider fixing that. Your hair and face are the first thing people notice when they meet you in person. And your shoes aren’t far behind - that’s the next thing most people notice. We tend to scan from top to bottom – even if we don’t realize it. Some people actually scan from the feet up if they see you coming from a distance.

Smoke Defense

Did you grow up with a smoker? If you did – there's something you should do for yourself now...

There were a lot more smokers around when we were growing up – and if you grew up with one – there’s something you can do for yourself now. Eat some apples! New research from the National Institutes of Health says eating two apples a day reduces lung inflammation – and can actually help prevent respiratory problems in adults who lived with a smoker while they were growing up.

Tempting Fate

If you think you’ve got a lot of will power – you could be tempting fate!

How strong are you in the will power department? Experts say the more will power you THINK you have – the more likely you are to fail – and most of us think we have more than we really do. People in a study who rated themselves high in will power actually ended up taking more behavioral risks to begin with. Those who felt low in the will power department were more likely to avoid the temptation in the first place.

Source: Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management

Little White Lies

We all tell little white lies – so is that okay?

Do these pants make me look fat? If you’re tempted to answer with a little white lie – go ahead. According to psychologist Alan Hilfer, most of us do it all the time – and even teach our kids to lie. “Tell Grandma how much you LOVE your gift.” Some believe white lies to spare someone’s feelings can actually be a valuable social skill – others have zero tolerance for fibbing – but Dr. Hilfer says little white lies that stoke kids’ imaginations and make for happy memories are just part of life for most people and are pretty benign overall.

Where Are You From?

Where we grow up has a HUGE impact on who we are – but not all city folk are created equal.

A new study from the University of Michigan found out that some cities are heart-strong – while others are head-strong. The heart-strong city dwellers were warmer, friendlier – and more community oriented. The head-strong urbanites were more intellectual, high-tech and creative.

The top 5 HEART-strong cities in the U.S. are: El Paso, TX; Mesa, AZ; Miami, FL; Virginia Beach, VA; And Fresno, CA.

The top 5 HEAD-strong U.S. cities are: San Francisco, Los Angeles and Oakland, CA; Albuquerque, NM and Honolulu, HI

One True Love

Do you believe each person has only one true love?

Only 3 out of 10 people believe that each of us has only one true love out there. That’s the result of a new national survey by Pew Research Center on love and marriage. Love was the number one reason to get married – coming in at 93%. 59% of those surveyed cited having children as a primary motive – while 31% said “I do” to financial stability.

Human Heat

There’s a new kind of heat on the horizon – and it comes from YOU!

If you’d like to warm up your house without raising the thermostat – invite some friends over. Body heat is powerful stuff – and engineers are already harnessing it in a big way. The Stockholm Central Station has 250,000 travelers and shoppers a day – and engineers have figured out how to take that human heat and pump it into an office building across the street. In Paris – they’re planning to harness body heat from the Metro to heat a public housing project nearby - and boost the temperature even more with some heat from the moving trains.

Eye Language

If you’d like to make people like you – use your eyes...

How you make eye contact has a big impact on how others perceive you. According to Nicholas Boothman, author of “How to Make People Like You in 90 Seconds or Less,” there’s an eye contact formula that makes people REALLY want to get to know you more. First, establish eye contact. Then – look away briefly. Next, make eye contact again. It’s that simple. Boothman says this maneuver makes you a little bit mysterious – and a LOT more interesting.

Romantic Getaway

If you’re planning a romantic getaway – consider this...

That romantic getaway sure looks good while your browsing destinations – but once you’re really there – avoid these traps:

• Together time – too much of it can kill the mood. Be sure to take into account the time spent travelling. That can really add up.

• Disagreements. It happens to the best of couples – but if you’re stuck in a car, hotel room, or on a flight together – there’s not much room for cooling off. Giving in could save your trip.

• Budget. If you’re planning this together – agree on a budget AHEAD of time and stick to it. If this is a surprise getaway – you’ll probably need to be more flexible – a tight budget or too many restrictions can kill the romance.

Rocking the Car

If your car gets stuck in the snow or mud – do you know how to get it out?

Do you rock your car if it gets stuck in the snow or mud? Most people try it and it could RUIN the car. If you do get stuck – go ahead and try that – gently - but if that doesn’t work after a FEW tries – call a tow truck! Throwing your car from forward to reverse repeatedly – and spinning tires – generates lots of heat and can wreck your transmission, clutch or other components that will cost a LOT more to repair than a professional tow.

Groundhog Day

It’s February 2nd, Groundhog Day. It used to be February 1st – and it didn’t start in Punxsutawney....

Groundhog Day used to be February 1st – and it actually goes back thousands of years. It all started with the ancient Celtic festival of Imbolc - which was celebrated halfway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. That festival featured primitive meteorology in hopes of predicting how soon the spring would arrive – and any shadows would do.

The groundhog didn’t really come into play until Germans settled in Pennsylvania. They would predict the end of winter based on bears’ and badgers’ hibernation habits – but local Punxsutawney groundhogs were much easier to find and soon stole the spot light.

New Salt Rule

If you have more than a teaspoon of salt a day – you’re breaking the new rule...

The USDA has new guidelines out about salt – and chances are you’ve probably already had a day’s worth. The new recommendation is about HALF a teaspoon for anyone over 51, African Americans and people with a history of hypertension. For everybody else – 2,300 milligrams – which is about one teaspoon of salt a day.

If you had a bagel with butter this morning – or a bowl of cereal – you’re probably about half way there.

White Meat, Dark Meat

Why do Americans prefer white meat overwhelmingly to dark?

The American chicken industry ends up with a HUGE surplus of dark meat. Americans prefer that tender white breast meat overwhelmingly – but it’s not JUST for taste. According to Dr. Marcia Pelchat, a lot of us tend to be a bit squeamish. She says when we’re faced with a chicken leg, there’s no hiding the fact that it’s the leg of an animal. Up until 50 years ago, chickens were sold exclusively in the shape of – whole chickens. But now, we prefer nondescript neatly packaged products that don’t much resemble what it was when it was standing, running, or swimming around.

Other countries aren’t quite so squeamish. Most Europeans actually prefer the taste of gamier dark meat – which is nutrient rich with higher levels of iron and zinc.